The occupation of America (and Columbus's arrival quite clearly was an occupation, no one can deny that) meant … - Vandana Shiva

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We aren't people who believe that just because we're performers our opinions on everything need to be known.

Vandana Shiva

The occupation of America (and Columbus's arrival quite clearly was an occupation, no one can deny that) meant that the entire history of the Native Americans was rendered invisible. The land could only be occupied if it was first defined as empty. So it was defined as a wilderness, even though it had been used by native people for millennia.

Arrival, Empty, Land, Native American, People, Quite

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Today you have a situation where now the prescription is: People who dont have enough money to buy food should end up paying for their drinking water. That is going to be the kind of situation in which you will get more child labor. You will get more exploitation of women. Youre going to get an absolutely exploitative economy as the very basis of living becomes a source of capital accumulation and corporate growth. In fact, the chief of Coca-Cola in India said: Our biggest market in India comes from the fact that there is no drinking water left. People will have to buy Coca-Cola.

Children, Drinking, Economy, Fact, Kind, Water

It is time to learn from the mistakes of monocultures of the mind and the essentialising violence of reductionist thought. It is time to turn to diversity for healing.

Diversity, Healing, Learn, Mistake, Monocultures

That amazing power of being able to stand with total courage in the face of total power and not be afraid. That is stri shakti.

Able, Courage, Faces, Power, Shakti, Total

The primary threat to nature and people today comes from centralising and monopolising power and control. Not until diversity is made the logic of production will there be a chance for sustainability, justice and peace. Cultivating and conserving diversity is no luxury in our times: it is a survival imperative.

Imperative, Justice, Logic, Luxury, People, Production

I have called this phenomenon of stealing common knowledge and indigenous science "biopiracy" and "intellectual piracy. " According to patent systems we shouldn't be able to patent what exists as "prior art. " But the United States patent system is somewhat perverted. First of all, it does not treat the prior art of other societies as "prior art. " Therefore anyone from the United States can travel to another country, find out about the use of a medicinal plant, or find a seed that farmers use, come back here, claim it as an invention or an innovation.

Art, Common, Country, Innovation, Perverted, United